Prayer of Praise    

  Awesome and majestic God, your creative power and your glory are beyond our imagining.  Your greatness is told in the heavens and declared by the Earth and all living things.  We stand in awe of the way you have scattered the stars and have gathered up the land and the seas. 

  We stand ashamed compared to your righteousness and holiness.  Yet you chose to pour your love into our hearts in a most personal way, by sharing our humanity in Jesus Christ.  He revealed the human face of your love, and through that love demonstrated the depth of your divine love for us.  

  You equip and bless us for our journey through life and beyond, by breathing new and everlasting life into our very beings, through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  God – Creator and renewing power of our lives, we worship and adore you.

  You have revealed yourself so that we can know what is the truth.  You have given your Word to us so that we can know the right way to live.  You have blessed us with the life of your Spirit so you can make us a faithful community living out our faith in you.

  In humility and assurance we awaken each day to the knowledge of your provision for us, for our body and our soul.  We look forward to the time when we will live in communion with Jesus in the mansions in your Kingdom that he has prepared for us.  We are blessed that now we live in communion with your Spirit who unites us and empowers us.

  Redeemer God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you alone are our hope, you alone are our salvation, you alone are our life.  To you belongs all majesty and glory.  To you we offer our praise and our worship, now and always.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession 

(from Failure to Love in Australian Prayers by Bruce Prewer p88 and An Australian Prayer Book p240) 

Merciful God, you raised Jesus from death to be the power of saving love in our midst.

We confess our failure to seek and to trust his love.

We have not loved you God, with his fervent love.

We have not loved others with his class of love.

We have not loved ourselves as you seek for us to do,

Enough to cherish and to nurture our lives in the ways of Jesus Christ.

As a result, our characters are stunted,

Our lives mis-shapen, and too often fruitless.

Have mercy on us we pray,

Break down all the barriers which we erect against your love.

Enter the dark and dusty places of our being, purifying and enlightening us.

Restore to us the desire to seek after you with our whole heart.

Graft in our hearts your true and boundless love,

Guide us in the way of Christ,

Nourish us with goodness and faithfulness,

So that Jesus may grow larger in all of our activities.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness  

(from Colossians 1: 13 & 14)  

We take assurance from the advice that Apostle Paul gave to the Church in Colossae, that God, through Jesus Christ, has forgiven our sins, has set us free from the power of darkness, and has brought us safe into His kingdom.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Loving God, knowing your love for all of Humanity, especially your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

We pray for the Church, that we may follow Christ, the head of the Church, more closely and continue his mission of reconciling others to both yourself and one another.

We pray for insight, that you will help us recognize our neighbour in the refugee, the homeless person, and the marginalized of society, and inspire our response to their needs

We pray for conversion of our spirit, that you will teach us how to love with our whole heart and guide us in moving our religious ideals from ideas to action.

We pray for freedom of spirit that you will free us from fear, attachments, and wounds so that we may fully respond to all that you ask of us.

We pray for a new encounter with you, that through prayer and reflection on the Scriptures, we may enter into a deeper relationship with Christ, the firstborn of creation and the first risen from the dead.

We pray for all who have been the victims of crime, that you will restore their loss, heal their wounds, and help them to trust others again.

We pray for all who care for those in need, that those working in outreach ministries, housing assistance, healthcare, pregnancy centres, or refugee services, may continue to bring your love and compassion to those whom they serve.

We pray for all who are ill or recovering from surgery, that they may know your tender healing touch.

We pray for the healing of racism, that we may be instruments of reconciliation, working for justice, and promoting the advancement of all who have suffered prejudice or discrimination.

We pray for growth in respect in civic dialogue, that political leaders may listen to opposing views, respect the dignity of those with different ideas, and strive to find a path that will promote the welfare of all.

We pray for better stewardship of your Creation: that being aware that all Creation came through Christ, we may work to honour and protect it as a sign of your love for all people.

We pray for all who are in transition, that you will guide those in Congregations that are being reorganized and ministry leaders who are beginning new roles, to find effective ways to listen and to cooperate in bringing forth your reign today.

We pray for peace, that we may turn to Christ, whose death and resurrection offers the only peace that endures, to bring an end to violence and bloodshed and give us a new vision for cooperation and justice.

Copyright © 2022. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/

We pray for the peoples of Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.  We are thankful for how the churches in Sudan and in South Sudan, as well as Ecumenical Network Sudan, have consistently pursued peace processes, healing and reconciliation in these war-ravaged countries.  We are thankful for those who work to bring justice for the victims of genocide and war crimes, including the International Criminal Court.  We are thankful for the many who carry out humanitarian work in these countries and who settle those who are displaced.  We are thankful or the economic progress and peacebuilding that has occurred in Uganda, and for effective measures to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS.

We pray for a cessation of ethnic animosities and violence, and increased understanding between ethnic and religious groups.  We pray for Governments to respect the will and best interests of their people and the human rights of all.  We pray that natural resources to be preserved and the land saved from further desertification.

Prayers

Prayer for South Sudan

Our Heavenly Father,
We come into your presence with thanksgiving and gratitude for your grace, mercy and love in South Sudan.
We know things are not going so well in the country, but we believe that You will do the changes in Your own time.
We trust that South Sudan belongs to you, and therefore we surrender all things into your hand in faith.
For in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

(© 2014 Beatrice M. Mamuzi)

Prayer for peace

Bless, O Lord, those who hear your word and believe it.
We pray for the people who are in remote areas,
and live in fear of the world of spirits,
that they will know your power as Saviour of the world.
Bring peace to our land
and all parts of the world that are disturbed,
so that the gospel of salvation may be preached to all humankind.
In Jesus’ name we pray.

(Episcopal Church of Sudan. PEW #123.)

Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We pray for strength for church leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who have been trained by partner hospitals of The Leprosy Mission.  We pray that they will recognise people suffering from diseases like leprosy in their communities, and that you will provide physical and spiritual care for them.  We pray for the successful launch of the new DHARA smartphone app, a tool to help health workers in India screen and manage cases of leprosy and related diseases on home visits.  

We pray for the Canadian charity, the Effect Hope, for their team and partners as they launch new innovative programmes that include integrated, cross cutting approaches to care for communities facing leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and other neglected tropical diseases.  We pray for success with the launching of a new website, a fresh logo, new advocacy campaigns, and a re-focused identity.  We pray that you would work through these efforts to touch and inspire the hearts of Canadians who do not yet know about people living with neglected tropical diseases.

We pray for the Irish charity, Mission to End Leprosy, for the development of their research projects and the piloting of our new programmes around the world to fight against leprosy, and other neglected infectious and parasitic diseases.

  (The Leprosy Mission Prayer Diary 2022) 

We pray for the work organised by the partner church of UnitingWorld, the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua (GKI-TP) and its development unit P3W, aimed at helping alleviate poverty, improve nutrition and empower women and children in Papua Province, Indonesia.  We pray for success as it aims to provide skills training, and disaster preparedness to several communities in the highlands and around Jayapura.

We pray for your support for the project to help women to grow vegetables like soya and kidney beans, spinach and kale in their gardens, to feed their families and also supplement their family income.  We pray also for your blessing on the provision of education and training about financial management, to help them be able to better save money for education and emergencies.

We pray for the work organised by the partner church of UnitingWorld, the Protestant Church in Maluku (GPM) and their development team Sagu Salempeng Foundation (SSF), in the Maluku Province in Indonesia.  We pray for success as they work to support mixed groups of Christian and Muslim women with education and microfinance to increase access to economic opportunities in the community and the ability to have a voice in household decision making.  We pray that it will encourage friendships between women from different faith backgrounds, enabling women to act as agents of peace within their families and community.

(https://unitingworld.org.au/projects/peacebuilding-and-womens-empowerment/)

We pray for the success of the Scripture Union Schools Ministry Conference being held that it will be a valuable time for chaplains to develop skills and be quipped and inspired for their work in the coming school term.  We pray for the success of Scrip0ture Union run camps and activities, for the Performing Arts Camp in Victoria, the LEADS Camp in ACT, the youth event in Hamilton, Victoria, and the SUPA & Beyond Camp and the Family Winter Gathering happening in Tasmania.  We pray for the health and safety of the leaders and for those taking part, for the Holy Spirit to challenge people to come to a closer relationship with you, and for a wider engagement of local churches.

(SU Prayer Guide July 2022)

We ask that you Spirit will work in the minds and hearts of all the children who attend religious instruction classes at Bald Hills State School.  May these children be open to you leading them into right living and a loving relationship with you.

We ask that Kylie Conomos will return to school refreshed and enthused to continue her work among the children, families and teaching staff at Bald Hills State School.  Please guide her as she meets the often tremendous needs of children and their families.

We pray for the Deception Bay Congregation, for your guidance and insight for them with their call for a new Minister of the Word.

We thank you for Jillian and her work with the Church Council and the people of the Congregation to clarify our vision and mission goals as your people in the Bald Hills area.  We pray for your blessing on the deliberations of those on Church Council as they continue to consider how the Congregation is to move forward in the future.

We pray for those whom we have not seen for some time. We ask that you will be with them, guiding them, encouraging them, and assuring them of your presence with them each day.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.